Iain Duncan Smith had his official credit card suspended after running up more than £1,000 in expenses debts, it can be revealed. The work and pensions secretary was among 19 MPs subject to action by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) after failing to show spending was valid.

The details, disclosed in response to a freedom of information (FoI) request submitted by the Press Association, are likely to prove embarrassing for Duncan Smith, who has previously backed prepaid cards for benefits claimants to control what they can spend their money on.

I am a journalist and author. I am a staff writer at the UK edition of WIRED magazine and in 2015 my book, Freedom of Information: A Practical Guide for UK Journalists, was published. I created FOI Directory in 2012.